One down

My rough draft of "Wings" is completed. This doesn't mean it's done, but it's done to the point that I'm ready to let it cool off for a week or so before that hauling it out into the light of day business. This means that it may still have huge gaping holes that my imagination filled in only in my mind and not on paper. It could mean that the story is technically sound but still destined to fall flat on its poor little face. It's always hard for me to tell at this stage. Whether it's truly a good candidate for the WotF contest, I'm iffy on--most of their winners are very much more about nifty, detailed settings than this story is. It's entirely possible that this story would fit more comfortably somewhere else--it's hopping from foot to foot somewhere between fantasy and horror at the moment.

It's not my best work or favorite story, but in any case, it is a story and it is more done than it was less than two weeks ago, and more done than anything I've started in the last year or two. I'm calling it an accomplishment and setting it aside for a few days before I change my mind.

A snippet of what is now tentatively being dubbed "But He Had Wings":

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"Don't leave me," Bobby whispered. As if Jake had any choice.

Bobby was seven, three years younger than Jake. They shared the same fair, freckled complexion and rumpled blonde hair, but Bobby's face was rounder.

Jake couldn't see Bobby clearly in the darkened room--he was just a gray smear of face and hair--but he knew there were other things different about Bobby now, too. When Bobby talked, something new rumbled in his voice, like a dog growling low behind the door of Bobby's harmless whining.

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Bearing in mind that this story undoubtedly has some remaining plot holes and "huh-wha?" moments, if anyone would like to see this early draft, poke me. I'm not necessarily looking for critiques, but general opinions and indications of where your "huh-wha?" moments occur would no doubt be helpful if you care to offer them. (See this and this for Orson Scott Card's idea of a "wise reader." Incidentally, I highly recommend his how-to books.) If you're more comfortable just reading and offering no opinion, that is cool. If you have no desire whatsoever to read it at all, that is also cool.

I plan to use my week or so of cooling-off time from this story to revisit "Sacrifice" and explore its latent possibilities. I'm both excited and terrified. Wish me luck!